The Culture of K-pop Album Photocards: A Collector's Guide
- Wei Cecilia
- Jan 27
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 5
If buying albums to support your favorite idols is the standard for being a K-pop stan, then we must talk about photocards. A photocard is a small collectible card featuring an idol’s selfie or official photos. If an album represents an idol’s diploma, then a photocard is their business card.
At first, photocards were simply an incentive to boost album sales, helping entertainment companies generate more revenue. However, since not every fan could pull their bias’s photocard, a trading culture emerged on social media platforms like Twitter, where fans exchanged or purchased photocards. Through this process, many K-pop fans made new friends, shared their collections, and even expanded their interest in other groups by discovering idols through trades.
Understanding Photocard Pricing
Two key factors determine a photocard’s value: an idol’s popularity and the number of photocards included in an album.
For example, let’s compare Red Velvet and TWICE. A Red Velvet album typically includes just one photocard, while a TWICE album comes with four to five. Generally, a photocard's price shouldn’t exceed the album’s value. If an album costs around $10.50 at a fan club bulk purchase price, then TWICE’s photocards are roughly $2.10–$1.70 each, while Red Velvet’s photocards can go for $9.80 or more.
Popularity also plays a crucial role. For TWICE, photocards of highly popular members range from $2.10–$2.40, while less popular members’ cards are $1.10–$1.70. Meanwhile, for Red Velvet, where photocards are rarer, the price gap is much larger. Irene’s cards usually cost around $12.60, while other members range from $4.90–$6.30, with Wendy's sometimes exceeding $7.00.
However, these prices reflect normal market conditions and exclude photocard speculation.
The Reality of Photocard Scalping
“Scalping is extremely common in the photocard market. When demand exceeds supply, prices naturally rise.”
Scalping typically occurs with groups that have low album sales but a limited number of photocards per album, such as IZONE, Red Velvet, and NCT.
How expensive can a single photocard get? As a K-pop stan, I’ve witnessed firsthand how outrageous it can be. Take Red Velvet’s Queendom comeback in August 2021—when the preview image for Irene’s photocard dropped, fans immediately fell in love with how adorable it was. As a result, its price skyrocketed to $30.80. However, due to strong sales in Hong Kong and mainland China, the price gradually dropped to around $18.20.
Compared to album photocards, merchandise photocards can be even more expensive and unpredictable. The reason for this is either stunning photocard designs or highly exclusive acquisition approaches. For instance, Irene and Yeri’s birthday photocards were only given to fans who attended their birthday events, and certain comeback show photocards could only be obtained by physically attending a live broadcast.
Where to Buy and Trade Photocards
There are three main ways to collect photocards:
Getting them from purchased albums or merchandise
Buying from resale platforms like Pocamarket
Trading or purchasing through Twitter, Instagram, Mercari (Japan), or Bungae Jangteo (Korea)
The first method relies on luck and how many albums you buy. The second and third require patience and a good understanding of the market.
Beginner’s Guide to Photocard Collecting
If a photocard is still in print (e.g., part of an album or currently available merchandise), it’s always best to buy the album directly. Not only do you get a chance to pull your bias, but you also contribute to their sales and enjoy the music.
For out-of-print album photocards or rare merch cards, start with budget-friendly options before diving into high-value collectibles. Many affordable photocards still feature stunning images. When purchasing, avoid impulsive decisions and wait for reasonable prices—after all, money doesn’t grow on trees!
Lastly, beware of scams. Twitter and fan communities are full of fraudulent sellers. If possible, use reputable second-hand platforms to ensure a safer transaction.
And if all else fails, just follow SEVENTEEN’s THE8's advice: “Photocards? Just print them yourself!”
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